Ace brings the Jeep to a complete standstill when the traffic lights turn red. The roads surrounding us are clear, which is unusual for 11 a.m. on a Thursday morning. "Something is wrong," Ace says, pulling up the handbrake as he opens his glove box and pulls out a gun.'My thoughts precisely,' I think to myself, and my entire body is suddenly overwhelmed by fearThe palms of my hands become sweaty and damp, the deafening sound of my heart pounds loudly in my ears, and my jittery eyes incessantly scan the streets.Seconds later, five black sedans enter my field of vision, approaching us from the front of the Jeep. Their cars' tyres screech to a halt, the doors fly open, and guys dressed entirely in black begin to file out, one by one."Shit! It's the bloodthirsty Irishmen." Ace curses as he cocks his gun and reaches over to my side of the car, popping open the dash's hidden compartment.I watch with wide eyes as sixteen men charge towards us, their faces contorted with wrath as they r

One week later... I sit sandwiched between Ace and Jacob at a large rounded table at the 'Le Fleur' restaurant, the aromas of rich food and cigars linger in the atmosphere. Tonight is auction night, a four-monthly gathering of wealthy bastards with sick fetishes for the girls Trent has trafficked into the country intending to sell them to the highest bidder. 60% of the girls are between the ages of 15 and16, and it makes me sick to my stomach to watch them walk onto the stage blindfolded and wearing nothing but sexy lingerie, with a spotlight highlighting their greatest assets and flaws for their audience to see while they are sexually objectified and then purchased like livestock. I take a sip from the icy glass of bottled water; I used to enjoy coming here when Ace first introduced me to this place, but now it's a place I despise and wish to never return for multiple reasons. One of those reasons occurred two years ago when I witnessed my first shooting, met Trent and learned A

I enter the office like a naive little girl. I know I should heed to my inner Goddess, who is howling at me, 'This is a trap; flee before it is too late.' And she is right; it is too late; I brush past him, my sight settling on the chair in front of the enormous mahogany desk, which I slip into. I hear the faint sound of the door closing and the click of the door locking. I keep my gaze straight ahead, attempting to maintain an increased level of awareness while I wait for him to take his seat in front of me. I am too intrigued to hear his proposal for me to get up and walk out. Something deep inside me screams out that his proposition will cost me my soul but could possibly benefit me at the same time. He sinks into his chair, opens the top drawer of his desk and extracts a bottle of Glenfiddich. I stare at him as he fills his tumbler glass three fingers high, and then replaces the bottle in the drawer. His presence alone screams power that steals the air from me. His masculin

"And if that mocking bird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring... And if that diamond ring is brass, Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass... And if that looking glass gets broke Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat..." I quietly hum to Sandro as he falls asleep wrapped up in my arms for the third time today.Four months ago, I delivered my sleeping prince. I welcomed him three weeks early as a result of me falling down five flights of stairs. I was rushing back to my room before Ace got out of the shower and realised I had snuck out.The labour pains were intense. It was gut-wrenchingly out of this world but I refused to allow the midwife to give me any pain relief. I wanted to remember the birthing experience in raw detail, to remi

The second the elevator car doors slide open. I exit, turning left, unsure of my destination. I notice a small sign directing me to the ladies room and I follow it.The want to be free of his presence is intense.The raunchy thoughts racing through my mind have no business being there, given I am here on a Castello-assigned mission. I've been in Aydem's company for the entirety of, what?Five minutes. And already I am hot and flustered.I enter the ladies room, depositing my bag onto the opulent basin and turning on the cold water. I splash it all over my face in an attempt to chill my hot cheeks and restore their natural colour tone.As I turn the tap off, I raise my eyes to the mirror, concentrating on my breathing and recalling the new Identity I've been given.Clara, Clara Cross, is the name I've been given. My new nickname is C.C. I reside three blocks away in the newly constructed and furnished 'Harding and Jet' apartment